Using Antibacterial soap for too long can cause skin problems

Soap is one of the most common products in our homes. It is used for washing, cleaning and bathing. In fact, using soap for cleaning is perhaps the only way to wash away dirt from our bodies it has become the ‘only’ method. However, did you know that not all soaps are beneficial to us? Some of the soaps we buy from the supermarkets can be harmful and using them for a long-term could cause certain types of skin problems.

Antibacterial soap – As the name suggests, you could take it for granted that antibacterial soaps will kill off the bacteria in your body. One of the ingredients used to make this soap is triclosan which has been linked to causing problems with thyroid functions. This includes disrupting the hormone levels mainly because triclosan is known to cause sex changes in aquatic life when it is mixed with waste water. Hence, it was proven that overuse of this antibacterial chemical and others could actually promote growth of bacteria instead of killing it.

What could you use then?

When you buy soap or any other cleaners, check the ingredients used for production. Ensure that there are no triclosan and other chemicals. You do not need to use antibacterial soap because normal soap is designed to kill germs as well. Use the soap with warm water and that will suffice. Choose hand sanitizers that are purely alcohol based which will do the job as well as any other cleansers.